Mechanism for stripping the top-flats of carding-engines



2 Sheds-Sheet 1.

Patented July 3, 1883.

H. WOODMAN.

Ill

MECHANISM FOR SI'IRIPPING THE TOP FLATS 0F GARDING ENGINES. No} 280,774..

(Nb Model) N. PEIERS. mwuzh ra her. Wuhmgmn. (M:

(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. H. WOODMAN.

MEGHANISM FOR STRIPPING THE TOP FLATS 0P GARDING ENGINES.

Patented July 3. 1883.

INVENTOR:

ATTORNEYS.

N. ruins. Phnlmljlbugnpher. Wilmington. D4 6 U I ED STATES PATENT OFFIC HORACE WOODMAN, or SACO, MAINE.

MECHANISM FOR STRIPPlNG THE TOP-FLATS OF CARDlNG-ENGINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 280,774, dated July 3, 1883,

Application filed October 3. 1882. (No model.)

with the use of cams in machinery for stripping the flats of carding-engines The invention consists of the several combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in

which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is an end view of a cardingengine at the driving end, showing so much thereof as is necessary for a proper understanding of the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section in the direction longitudinally of the engine, and on the line 00 m, Fig. 1., Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line y y, Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a detail view of the sectional gear and pinions, shown from the opposite side from that seen in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed side view, with a portion of the sectional gearwheel broken away, of my improvement.

A is the .main frame of a carding-engine, and B B represent a series of top-flats of ordinary construction and arrangement.

The main card-cylinder is shown at C in Figs. 2 and 3. D is the main shaft, which carries the main cylinder and gives motion to the device for raising the top-flats and cleansing them, as hereinafter described. Upon the end arch, A, of the frame A is fixed a curved piece or segment, E, which is recessed on its outer face, and at the middle of the recess is fixed a curved, double, or continuous rack, F, in sucha manner that the recess forms a continuous groove, a, above and below the rack and around its ends.

The movable frame carrying the lifting and cleansing devices consists of a slotted arm, G, which is formed with a tubular hub, 12, fitting loosely on the end of the main shaft D. The lower end of the arm G, projecting below the shaft D, is fitted with a weight, a, for balancing the mechanism carried by the arm at its upper end. Upon a stud, (1, .near the outer end of the arm G, is a loose gear-wheel, H, which is formed at the middle portion of its periphery with a continuous series of teeth, and at intervals these teeth are lengthened so as to project at each side to the rim of the wheel. There is also upon the stud a loose arm, f, that is fitted at its outer end with an the groove a of segment E, a pinion, g, engaging the rack F, and at its other end a pinion or tumbler, h, which projects upon the face of the gear-wheel H. On the arm G, beneath the gearwheel H, is a stud, 2', which carries a pinion, k, engaging the continuous series of teeth on the wheel H, and also carrying a grooved pulley, I, from which a belt passes to a grooved pulley on the main shaft D. Upon the arm or frame G there is also hung a lever, I, the outer end of which is made adjustable and bent over the flats B, and at that end this ordinary character. This lever is weighted at its lower end to balance the brush. At the side of the gear-wheel H opposite to the pinion 71, before mentioned, the arm br frame G is fitted with a short arbor, upon one end of which is a pinion or tumbler, n, placed for engaging the wheel H, and on the inner end of this arbor is a crank-arm, 0, provided with a pin, 0, that enters a slot, 1), formed in the lever I. Above the gear-wheel H the arm or frame G is fitted with an arbor, which carries at its outer end a pinion or tumbler, q, and at its inner end it is formed with a crank-arm, 1-, that connects by a link, 0", tothe slide s, by which the topflats are raised and lowered. The slide s is fitted for movement in a slot in the end of the arm or frame G, and is formed with'fianges s, that pass above and beneath the ends of the top-flats B. Both the pinions h, by which the intermittent movement of the frame is ob tained, and the pinion a, by which the slotted brush-lever I is moved, engage the same series of teeth on the gear-wheel H, which are at the side of the periphery next to the frame G, while the pinion q, operating the slide s, engages the series of teeth at the outer side of the periphery. All three of these pinions are provided with flanges, (shown at h a q, re-

arbor, g, carrying at its inner end, that enters lever is fitted with a cleansing-brush, m, of

spectivcly,) which are curved so as to rest upon the smooth periphery of the gear-wheel H, when the pinious are not engaged, for the purpose of retaining the pinions in the proper position for engagement. The flange q is formed doublc-ended, so that either end may rest upon the periphery of the gear-wheel H, for the additional purpose of sustaining the slide 8 in its 'aised position, and in order to give room for the tumbler-flanges h a q to turn, the edge of the gear-wheel H is cut away, as shown at a.

The top-flats 13 rest at their ends upon the end arches of the frame, and are held in place thereon by pins b in the usual manner; but these pins, instead of projecting through the upper sides of the flats, are cut off, and additional guide-pins, c, projecting from an upper cross-bar, (1, carried by the arm or f 'ame G, serve as guides for the flats while being raised and lowered by the slide 8.

In the operation of the machine the pulley I, being rotated by its connection to the main shaft, gives continuous rotation to the gearwheel H through the medium of the pinion k. The arm or frame G being at rest, the sectional gearing, first engaging the pinion 9, gives rotation to that pinion and its arbor, which, acting through the crank-arm r and link a", raises the slide 8, and the flat with which the slide is engaged is carried upward. The pinion q then ceases to rotate, and by its tumbler-flange q resting upon the smooth surface of the sectional gear-wheel the slide is retained in its raised position. The pinion a, next coming in contact with the sectional gearing, imparts a reciprocating movement to the lever I, and the brush m is carried beneath and across the teeth of the raised flats. I prefer to give to the brush mtwo movements forward and back, so as to insure the thorough cleaning of the card. The gearwheel a then ceases to rotate, its tumblerflange it rests upon the smooth surface of the sectional gear-wheel, and the lever I is retained in the outward position. The gear-wheel q is then again engaged by the sectional gear, thereby moving the slide 8 downward and bringing the flat back to its position. The gearwheel I1 is then engaged by the sectional gear, and the pinion g, which engages the rack F, being thereby set in rotation, the arm or frame G- is moved forward and brings the slide 8 into engagement with the second flat beyond. This movement then ceases, and the operation of raising the card, cleaning and lowering the same is repeated. IVhen the gear wheel H reaches either end of the rack F, it passes to the other side of the rack, above or below, as the case may be, and the frame is then caused to travel in the opposite direction whenever the pinion h is rotated. In moving in each direction the mechanism acts to take up and clean alternate flats. In order to carry the armf and the pinion h downward when the end ofthe continuous rack is reached, and also for the purpose of steadying the mechanism, a spring, a, is attached upon the arm G and bears at its outer end upon the armf.

It will be understood that mechanism similar to that shown and described is arranged at the other end of the carding-engine, so that the cards are raised simultaneously at each end. In order to give synchronous movement to such double mechanism, the arm G can ries a gear-wheel, 12, which is on the end of a shaft that extends above the flats B to the arm at the other end of the engine, where it is provided with a similar gear-wheel engaging a sectional gear-wheel upon the said arm.

By the use of the tumbler-wheels before described, I obtain all the required movements by positive connections and by mechanism of compact character. The gear-wheels can readily be proportioned to give the required extent of movement, and the gearing by which the brush is operated can readily be made to give two or more reciprocations to the brush. This is important, as a single movement of the brush or cleaner is not usually sufficient to remove the accumulated dust at the base of the card-teeth, and it has been necessary heretofore to remove the 'flats and clean them by hand at more or less frequent intervals, in order to get rid of such accumulation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The slotted arm G, gear-wheel H, having the flanges a and toothed segments upon its sides, the slotted lever I, having the brush m, and the slide .9, adapted to carry the topflats, in combination with the pinion a and its shaft, carried in a projection of the arm G, crank-arm 0, having the pin 0 entering the slot of the lever I, pinion q and its shaft, car ried in a projection of the aforesaid arm, double-ended flange q, adapted to bear upon the flange a of the gear-wheel H, crank 1', con neeted to the shaft of the pinion q, link 1', connected to slide .9, and crank r, substantially as set forth.

2. The pivoted slotted arm G, gear-wheel H, having the flanges a and toothed segments upon its sides, the double or continuous rack F, and pivoted slotted lever I, having the brush m, in combination with the arm f, pivoted to arm G and connected to the shaft y, pinions g and h on the same shaft, the pinion g gearing with the rack F and the pinion h gearing with the wheel H, spring a, acting upon the shaft 9, the pinion a and its shaft, the crank 0, having pin 0 entering the slot of lever I, pinion q and its shaft, doubleended flange q, adapted to bearnpon the flange of the wheel H, crank r, and link 1-, substantially as specified.

HORACE \VOODMAN.

\Vitnesses:

EDWARD P. BURNHAM, M. A. O. BURNHAM.

IIO 

